Influences

[EnderAndrew]

A question to the Obsidian crew (here after referred to as My Home-skillets, Inc):

 

In designing KOTOR:TSL, what would list as major influences?

 

What about game design in general?

 

Which game made you decide that you had to do this for a living?

[Guest Michael Chu]

Well, I've been an incorrigible Star Wars fan since years and years ago when I watched the trilogy for the first of many, many times, so Star Wars and the Expanded Universe are probably my biggest inspirations for The Sith Lords. That and geeking out over the fact that I can actually contribute to the universe. (Other than the movies, I'd say the Zahn trilogy, KotOR1 and the beginning of the New Jedi Order as my favorites of the EU.)

 

I think Grim Fandango has had more impact on me than any other, as I've always felt that it is one of the most complete games ever created, especially in terms of story, characters, writing, style, humor, music, art, etc. Not to mention that Manny Calavera is one of the coolest dudes to appear in a game, ever.

 

Playing RPGs on the SNES and scads of adventure games on the PC are what really made me want to be a game designer, though. Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger are the two games that really stand out to me, especially since for a while I thought I might try writing music for games (and those two games have some really spectacular scores by Uematsu and Mitsuda, respectively). Then of course there were all the adventure games, with Sam and Max, Monkey Island, Broken Sword, and all the Infocom text adventures.

 

Oh and, of course, Zork I.

[EnderAndrew]

You have such good taste in everything else, that I will let the Laker-fan thing slide.

 

Also you mentioned Zahn trilogy. You do realize Zahn ended up writing six books so far?

 

Did you read Vision of the Future, Specter of the Past, or Survivor's Quest?

[FrankK]

My major influences on the current project are whatever Chris A. tells me to do. It's the only sure way to avoid the beatings.

 

For general influences, it's pretty hard. Every game contributes to your arsenal (for better or for worse) of knowledge. Whenever I play a game I am usually drawn to or put-off by some aspect of the design (be it interface, character development, combat, story, etc). But since I don't want to be too vague: Diablo 2, Fallout, Planescape, BG 1/2, Half-Life, Halo. Just about any game that makes me disappointed that it's over is a good game--any game that I am playing 'just to beat it' would only influence me to the extent that I want to know why I am not reveling in the experience.

 

Fallout made me want to do this for a living.

[@\NightandtheShape/@]

My major influences on the current project are whatever Chris A. tells me to do. It's the only sure way to avoid the beatings.

 

For general influences, it's pretty hard. Every game contributes to your arsenal (for better or for worse) of knowledge. Whenever I play a game I am usually drawn to or put-off by some aspect of the design (be it interface, character development, combat, story, etc). But since I don't want to be too vague: Diablo 2, Fallout, Planescape, BG 1/2, Half-Life, Halo. Just about any game that makes me disappointed that it's over is a good game--any game that I am playing 'just to beat it' would only influence me to the extent that I want to know why I am not reveling in the experience.

 

Fallout made me want to do this for a living.

I have always tried to see what was so great about fallout. I've never been able to. The game itself feels so rigid to me, I feel too in control so to say. It feels as I would call it empty, and I did enjoy fallout all the same, it just felt pushed to me. It was basically that I couldn't do exactly as I pleased.

 

One thing I see as lacking in RPG's is AI, personally I believe RPG's should be at the front for AI, they should be the leaders whom FPS take notes from.

[Ferret]

My first and foremost influence is KotOR1. I loved that game a ton, and I want to make my areas rival or exceed the quality of the first game. My other big influence is the original Star Wars trilogy. I would love to recapture the magical feeling that inspired me so many years ago with Episode IV. A New Hope profoundly affected me (and I know I'm not alone in that). I'm not sure I'd be quite as big a geek if it weren't for that and Asimov's Foundation series.

 

Other things that inspire me are Planescape: Torment, the BG series, and the Fallout series. The modern RPG classics.

 

I think other literary influences include things like Zelazny's Amber, McAffrey's Pern (her old stuff, the new stuff doesn't hit me as hard), anything Guy Gavriel Kay writes, Tolkien, and a host more. Zahn's EU stuff I thought was awesome, as well.

 

-Ferret

[Atreides]

Also you mentioned Zahn trilogy. You do realize Zahn ended up writing six books so far?

 

Did you read Vision of the Future, Specter of the Past, or Survivor's Quest?

I read the first two on top of the Thrawn trilogy, but was bitterly disappointed that Thrawn didn't make a comeback. The Republic's been having it too easy with the Empire getting more and more impotent that it's gotten stale. Probably that's why they've got the Yuzhan Vong thing to revitalise the universe.

 

G.A.Thrawn = pwnage.

[EnderAndrew]

Thrawn was an incredible villian.

 

I too was disappointed he didn't come back, but in another sense, that's been done before in Dark Empire. I give Zahn credit for not relying on his safety net, and instead putting the books on the shoulders of Mara, and Luke.

[mkreku]

Uhm.. Isn't anyone in the Obsidian crew influenced by the Gothic games even in the slightest? Please? Someone? Heeeeeelp...!

[EnderAndrew]

Thanks go out to Ferret, Michael Chu and FrankK, or my HomeSkillets.